CHENNAI: Long before states were divided by language, Madras was a city shaped by many cultures moving together. Telugu traders, politicians, filmmakers, educators and business families were deeply woven into the making of the city, leaving traces that still exist in its streets, schools, restaurants and neighbourhoods. Yet, much of that history quietly remains hidden in plain sight.
To bring these stories back into conversation, Madras Inherited is hosting a Telugu Heritage Walk around T Nagar, led by lawyer and heritage enthusiast Sindhuja Birenji. The walk explores the Telugu roots of Madras and how the community played a major role in shaping the cultural and political identity of the city.
For Sindhuja, the walk is both historical and deeply personal. “During my internship with Madras Inherited, I worked on a legal history walk around George Town because law is my professional background. While researching that, I realised Telugu history in Madras was something that had always fascinated me personally as well,” she says.
A Telugu-speaking resident who has lived in Chennai for nearly two decades, Sindhuja says she wanted to bring together two important parts of her identity, history and heritage on one side, and her Telugu roots on the other. As she began researching, she discovered that the Telugu presence in Madras was not something recent, but one that stretched back centuries. “When we look at history, South India was never divided the way states are today. There was constant interaction between Tamil, Telugu and Kannada cultures. It was a very interconnected region,” Sindhuja explains.
The walk focuses on T Nagar not just because of its popularity today, but because of its long-standing Telugu connection. Sindhuja explains that while George Town had a strong Telugu merchant presence during the early British period, T Nagar later emerged as an important residential and cultural hub for Telugu-speaking communities. “A lot of Telugu merchants migrated from Andhra and settled in Black Town (now called George Town) during colonial times. Even today, in George Town, you can still spot old signboards carrying both Telugu and Tamil lettering. But at one point, T Nagar itself was referred to as Telugu Nagar because many Telugu-speaking families lived there.”
As she researched further, cinema became another major thread connecting Telugu history with the neighbourhood. “When the film industry started growing in Madras, many Telugu actors, producers and filmmakers were based in T Nagar. Studios like Vijaya Vauhini were all connected to Telugu-speaking filmmakers,” she says.
The walk also revisits important educational and cultural institutions linked to the Telugu-speaking community. One such stop is Kesari Higher Secondary School, a Telugu-medium school established decades ago. “Because there was a sizeable Telugu-speaking population in Chennai, there were many Telugu-medium schools across the city. Kesari School became one of the major landmarks connected to the community,” Sindhuja explains.
The heritage walk also touches upon the political history surrounding Madras after Independence, particularly the famous ‘Madras Manade’ movement. “When states were reorganised on linguistic lines, there was a huge political struggle between Tamil and Telugu leaders over who would retain Madras as the capital,” says the heritage enthusiast.
The walk also highlights influential Telugu leaders who shaped the city, including T Prakasam, who served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency in 1946. Beyond politics and institutions, the walk also explores how Telugu influence became part of Chennai’s everyday culture through food, sweets, textiles and businesses. Stops include Andhra sweet shops, restaurants and textile spaces that continue to remain popular in the city today.
Sindhuja points out that Andhra meals have become deeply embedded within Chennai’s food culture. “Everyone in Madras loves Andhra meals today. I will also be talking about how Andhra food became so popular in Chennai over the years,” she says.
The walk also features places like APCO Handloom House, known for Andhra weaves including Venkatagiri, Uppada and Mangalagiri sarees, along with Kalamkari textiles. “These are fabrics and crafts that came from Andhra but became familiar to Chennai shoppers as well,” she adds. Another stop includes the Andhra Social and Cultural Association on Vijayaraghava Road, which continues to function as an important community space even today. Sindhuja says many roads and neighbourhoods across Chennai still carry the names and legacies of Telugu-speaking figures who once shaped the city.
For Sindhuja, the walk is ultimately about understanding how interconnected South Indian histories really are. “A lot of these stories are hidden in plain sight. We pass by these places every day without realising the history behind them. South Indian history has always been deeply interlinked,” she says. The Telugu Heritage Walk will take place on May 24 from 4 pm to 6 pm, beginning in front of Kesari Higher Secondary School in T Nagar.